Method of manufacturing self-aligned gate transistor

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a self-aligned gate transistor. The present invention implants P-type impurity ions only below a channel region below a gate and below a source and drain electrode on semiconductor substrate having an ion implantation channel layer without implanting the P-type impurity ions into a narrow region between the source-gate and the gate-drain, deposits a gate metal and etches the gate pattern. In this case, the length (Lg) of the gate is defined to be narrower than the length (Lch-g) into which P-type impurity ions are implanted below the channel layer, thus improving a pinch-off characteristic. A method of manufacturing a field effect transistor having a self aligned gate according to the present invention comprises the steps of implanting P-type impurity ions only below a channel region below a gate and below a source and drain electrode; and depositing a refractory gate metal having a good high temperature stability to form a gate pattern using a dry etch method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention:

[0002] The invention relates generally to a method of manufacturing a self-aligned gate transistor, and more particularly to, a method of forming an improved channel structure.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art:

[0004] Generally, in order to manufacture a transistor having a good direct current (DC) and radio frequency (RF) characteristic, it is inevitably required that the length of a gate, the depth of a channel, the resistance between a source and a gate, and between a gate and a drain, etc. be reduced, As the length of the gate is reduced, however, a short channel effect is further severe along with increase in the resistance of the gate. An increase in the resistance of the gate degrades a gain or a noise characteristic of the device. In order to prevent this, a gate, a lower side of which is small but an upper side of which is great, so called a gate having a T-type shape was proposed. An increase in the short channel effect causes to lower a breakdown voltage between the source and drain to degrade the power characteristic. In order to prevent this, a method has been used by which a P-type impurity is implanted below a current transfer channel to obviate a trail of a N-type impurity. However, the parasitic capacitance is increased due to implantation of the P-type impurity, which degrades an alternating current (AC) characteristic such as f_(T) (cut-off frequency) or f_(max) (maximum oscillation frequency) of the device. Therefore, there usually exists a trade-off to design P-type and N-type channels for optimizing DC and RF characteristics.

[0005] Of these methods, a method by which P-type impurity ions having different concentration are implanted below the channel layer and below the source and drain for form a channel, has disadvantages that the process is complicated since two step lithography processes are required for P-type ion implantation process having different concentration and irregularity in the shape and characteristic is caused due to mismatching of alignment.

[0006] Another method is one so called a pocket type ion implantation method by which P-type impurity ions are not implanted below the channel layer but P-type impurity ions are implanted only below the source and drain. This method, however, has a problem that the resistance between the source and the gate, and between the gate and the drain is increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention is contrived to solve the above problems and an object of the present invention is to provide a method of forming an improved transistor having a channel structure useful in manufacturing a self-aligned transistor having a good DC and RF characteristic.

[0008] Also, another object of the present invention is to improve noise and high frequency characteristics by reducing the resistance between a source-gate and a gate-drain while reducing a short channel effect and to increase the power density of a power device by increasing the current density between source and drain.

[0009] In order to accomplish the above object, a method of manufacturing a self-aligned gate transistor according to the present invention, is characterized in that it comprise the steps of implanting P-type impurity ions only below a channel region below a gate and below a source and drain electrode; and depositing a refractory gate metal having a good high temperature stability to form a gate pattern using a dry etch method.

[0010] Also, preferably, a method of manufacturing a self-aligned gate transistor according to the present invention further comprises a first step of etching the gate pattern including depositing the gate without implanting P-type impurity ions into a narrow region between the source-gate and the gate-drain and depositing; a second step of implanting ions using the gate as a mask to form a LDD (lightly doped drain) layer; a third step of performing N+ type ions on the source/drain region; a fourth step of forming a resistant metal for ohmic contact and performing an annealing process to form an ohmic contact layer; and a fifth step of forming a source/drain electrode for contact to the ohmic contact layer.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, P-type impurity ions are implanted only below the underlying gate channel region and the source and drain electrode and a refractory gate metal having a good high-temperature stability. Then, a gate pattern is formed by a dry etch method. Next, LDD (lightly doped drain) ion implantation and N+ ion implantation are performed in order to reduce the resistance between the source-gate and the gate-drain using the gate pattern. Next, a refractory gate metal having a good high-temperature stability is activated so that a transistor having a self aligned gate having a good DC and RF characteristic and a good high-temperature stability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The aforementioned aspects and other features of the present invention will be explained in the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0013]FIG. 1a to FIG. 1h are cross-sectional views of a transistor having a self aligned gate for explaining a method of manufacturing the transistor according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

[0014]FIG. 2 is a current-voltage characteristic curve for explaining an increase in the current density, the power efficiency and the power density depending on an improved direct current (DC) characteristic of a self aligned gate transistor according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The present invention will be described in detail by way of a preferred embodiment with reference to accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to identify the same or similar parts.

[0016]FIG. 1a to FIG. 1h are cross-sectional views of a transistor having a self aligned gate for explaining a method of manufacturing the transistor according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Referring now to FIG. 1a, a photolithographic film pattern is formed in a portion that will be a channel such as 13 a, within a semiconductor substrate 11. Then, silicon dopant ions are implanted to form a channel layer 12. Next, a region for selective P-type impurity implantation is defined where a channel below a gate and source and drain like 13 b will be formed. Thereafter, a P-type impurity 14 is ion-implanted. At this time the P-type impurity includes Be, Mg, C, and the like. Then, metal serving as a gate is deposited using a sputtering equipment and the gate is then patterned as shown in FIG. 1c. Next, a gate 15 is formed by a dry etch method. At this time, the length (Lg) of the gate is defined to be narrower than the length (Lch-g) in which P-type impurity ions are implanted below the channel layer in order to improve a pinch-off characteristic.

[0018] At this time, the gate metal 15 may be formed of a refractory metal having a good thermal stability. Also, it is preferred that the thin refractory metal film is formed of a single layer made of one of tungsten (W) or tungsten nitride (WNx), tungsten silicide (WSix), or tungsten silynitride (WSiNx) and the like, or a dual layer made of tungsten nitride/tungsten (WNx/W).

[0019]FIG. 1d illustrate a process of forming a LDD (Lightly Doped Drain) region for reducing the resistance between source-gate and gate-drain. A LDD layer 16 is formed at the side of a source/drain region 17 using both the gate formed through the above process and photolithographic film pattern like 13 d as an ion implantation mask. More particularly, the concentration of the ion implantation energy and the impurity is higher than the condition that the channel layer is formed.

[0020] Referring now to FIG. 1e, silicon dopant ions of a high concentration are implanted using a photolithographic film pattern 13 e to define a source/drain region 17 in the transistor.

[0021] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1f, a metal for ohmic contact is deposited in the source/drain region 17. Then, a lift-off process, a cleaning process, an annealing process are sequentially performed to form an ohmic electrode 18, as shown in FIG. 1g. Next, silicon nitride (SiN_(x)) or silicon oxide (SiO_(x)) 19 and the like is deposited under a vacuum state using PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) method. Finally, a base metal 20 for improving an adhesive strength between metals is deposited for a bonding pad or metal for an air bridge. Next, a source and drain electrode 21 is formed by means of an electroplating method, thus completing a self aligned gate transistor having a very small resistance in the source-gate and the gate-drain and a good pinch-off characteristic without a short channel effect, as shown in FIG. 1h.

[0022] As mentioned above, in the self aligned gate transistor of a channel structure according to the present invention, a refractory metal having a good high temperature stability is used and P-type impurity ions are implanted into a channel portion below the gate by a little wider than the length of the gate and into a source and drain pad portion. Therefore, the present invention can form a transistor having a good pinch-off characteristic with a small short channel effect and having a very low resistance between the source-gate and the gate-drain. As a result, the transistor has a good DC characteristic such as a breakdown voltage, a small parasitic resistance, good high temperature stability in a Schottky barrier and a good AC characteristic due to a small parasitic capacitance in a P-N junction below a channel.

[0023] Further, a high frequency characteristic can be improved due to reduced parasitic resistance and a refractory metal gate process can be applied to manufacture analog and digital transistor or MMIC (Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit).

[0024]FIG. 2 is a current-voltage characteristic curve of a self aligned gate transistor according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which shows an increase in a drain current depending on reduction (R2<R1) in the resistance of the source-gate and the gate-drain. This characteristic improvement increases the power efficiency and the power density as can be seen from a load line in FIG. 2, so that miniaturization of a high power device with high efficiency can be manufactured.

[0025] As mentioned above, according to the present invention, a low resistance characteristic between source and gate and between gate and drain is employed at maximum and P-type impurity ions are implanted below a gate of a channel layer in order to manufacture a self aligned gate transistor. Thus, the present invention has outstanding advantages that it can improve a pinch-off characteristic without a short channel effect and can improve a drain breakdown characteristic. Further, according to the present invention, a transistor of a channel structure having a small parasitic capacitance in the channel can be manufactured. Therefore, the present invention has an advantage that it can be usefully used to manufacture a high frequency device having a good DC and RF characteristic.

[0026] The present invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment in connection with a particular application. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings of the present invention will recognize additional modifications and applications within the scope thereof.

[0027] It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications, modifications, and embodiments within the scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of manufacturing a field effect transistor having a self aligned gate, comprising the steps of: implanting P-type impurity ions only below a channel region below a gate and below a source and drain electrode; and depositing a refractory gate metal having a good high temperature stability to form a gate pattern using a dry etch method.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first step of etching said gate pattern including depositing said gate without implanting P-type impurity ions into a narrow region between said source-gate and said gate-drain and depositing; a second step of implanting ions using said gate as a mask to form a LDD (lightly doped drain) layer; a third step of performing N+ type ions on said source/drain region; a fourth step of forming a resistant metal for ohmic contact and performing an annealing process to form an ohmic contact layer; and a fifth step of forming a source/drain electrode for contact to said ohmic contact layer.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said P-type impurity ions are implanted below a channel region below and below said source and drain electrode using one of beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg) and carbon (C).
 4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein in forming said gate, the length (Lg) of said gate is defined to be narrower than the length (Lch-g) into which P-type impurity ions are implanted below said channel layer to improve a pinch-off characteristic.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said gate is made of a refractory metal having a good high-temperature stability.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said refractory metal is made of a single layer made of one of tungsten (W), tungsten nitride (WNx), tungsten silicide (WSix) or tungsten silynitride (WSiNx), or a dual layer made of tungsten nitride/tungsten (WNx/W).
 7. A method of manufacturing a field effect transistor comprising the steps of: forming a channel layer in a semiconductor substrate; defining a channel region, a first region and a second region in a said semiconductor substrate, with said channel region being spaced from said first and second regions; implanting p-type impurity into said channel region, said first and second regions; forming a gate electrode on said channel layer over said channel region, wherein width of said gate electrode is smaller than width of said channel region; performing a LDD ion implantation process; performing an ion impurity process for source and drain regions; forming an ohmic electrode on said source and drain regions; forming a base metal on said ohmic electrode; and forming source and drain electrodes on said base metal. 